Biden and Xi to discuss military communication, fentanyl in meeting: White House
A highly anticipated meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco this week will focus on strengthening communication amid escalating global conflicts and addressing overlapping interests like the illegal flow of fentanyl, the White House said Monday.
Wednesday’s face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be the first between Biden and Xi in a year, and is aimed at curbing tensions between the two superpowers.
Fentanyl a ‘critical’ concern
China says U.S. can do more to reduce fentanyl demand
Last month, the Biden administration announced a series of indictments and sanctions against Chinese companies and executives blamed for importing those chemicals. It also launched a government-wide effort to crack down on fentanyl supply chains, including targeting the shipments of legal goods like pill presses, moulds and chemicals used to make fentanyl and other illicit synthetic drugs.
Biden and Xi have known each other for more than a decade and have shared hours of conversation over six interactions since Biden’s 2021 inauguration.
Story continues below advertisement
However, they have met only once in person since then and Xi has not visited the United States since 2017.
China’s foreign ministry says it expects the two leaders to have “in-depth communication on issues of strategic, overarching and fundamental importance” for both bilateral ties and the wider globe, but added Monday it is not seeking conflict.
“China does not fear competition, but we do not agree that China-US relations should be defined by competition,” spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing, according to a transcript.
“We hope the U.S. will act on its commitment of not seeking a new Cold War with China and having no intention to seek a conflict with China, and work with China to bring bilateral relations back to the track of sound and stable development.”
Leaders from the 21-member APEC forum are due to gather in San Francisco from Wednesday until Friday.
Sullivan said that at APEC Biden would put forward his economic vision for the region and speak about “how the United States is the preeminent driver of inclusive, sustainable economic growth in the Asia Pacific.”
